84 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



the figures of the past few years, always expands 

 with any increase in the purchasing power 

 oE the working classes. Production on the 

 other hand is limited by the margin of soiling 

 prices over cost. Thus there is a likelihood of 

 an increase in tea prices, but it seems equally 

 probable that the increase in cost of cultivation 

 will not allow of a larger margin of profit. The 

 statements regarding the smallness of the avail- 

 able area of uncultivated tea lands in Ceylon 

 and India have been refuted by reliable author- 

 ity and it therefore seems extremely doubtful 

 if any restriction of the potential production 

 may be anticipated through the limitation of 

 the area in tea. In conclusion a table may be 

 given showing the capital and movement which 

 has taken place since last year in the shares of 

 the leading tea companies, including those 

 whose results we have discussed where possible. 



Company, Shares. Paid. Dividends. Price end of May. 



£ £ 1909. 1910. 1910. 1911. 



Alliance 1 1 10 10 al6 12 1-18 



Amalgamated 10 10 nil nil — 1\ 



do Pref. 10 10 (paid to May, 9j 9J 

 1908) 



Ceylon Tea Planta- 

 tions 1 1 30 35 ,1 7j 



Cosolidated Tea 



and Lauds 10 10 nil nil 10 lib 



Consolidated 1\ per 



cent2ndPref. 10 10 (paid to Nov., 13 l\\b 

 1907) 



Eastern Produce I 1 H 2u V6\ 3 1-8 

 Kast India & Ceylon 6 10 12J 9 7-8 Hi 



Imperial Tea 1 1 7 7} a8J 11-16 



Nuwara Eliya 10 10 8 8 13i 13 



Standard 10 10 20 20 27| 27| 



Yatiyantola 11 8 15 »26J 2 7-16 



a £10 snares. b Ex. div. 



— Financial Times, June 1^ 



TREES AND mOISTURE. 



A GREAT EXPERIMENT. 



In order to determine the actual effect of 

 forests on the flow of the great waterways of the 

 country, one of the most important and far- 

 reaching experiments ever undertaken is being 

 carried on in the United States. Experiments 

 are being made on the crest of the Rocky 

 Mountains at the head-waters of the Rio Grande 

 in Colorado to settle beyond all further question 

 the effect of trees in conserving moisture. 



Minute observations (says the Philadelphia 

 Record) will be made, winter and summer, until 

 the average conditions in the heavily forested 

 area at the Rio Grande headwaters are estab- 

 lished beyond doubt. Then that portion of the 

 watershed will be denuded of all timber, and 

 not less minute observations will be taken of 

 the conditions that obtain after the trees have 

 been removed. 



The experiments will no doubt extend over an 

 indefinite number of years. Those who have 

 undertaken the work will not stop until they 

 consider that there is nothing more to be ascer- 

 tained on the subject. Tho Government has 

 established an experiment station at Wagon 

 Wheel Gap, well toward the headwaters of the 

 Rio Grande. Both watersheds are being covered 

 and the flow of the streams toward the Atlantic 

 and Pacific are noted. The area included in 

 the experiment ranges from a trifle over 9,000 

 feet to nearly 11,500 feet in altitude, and is 

 situated in the Rio Grande National Forest, 



This site was selected after all the Colorado 

 National Forests on the Continental Divide had 

 been thoroughly examined and comparisons had 

 been made. Dams and weirs have been put in 

 and the water is being accurately measured 

 under all conditions, winter and summer. Each 

 watershed carries a small stream of a permanent 

 character, common to the upper slopes of the 

 Rocky Mountains. The streams will be mea- 

 sured until a distinct relation between them has 

 been established. 



By a large number of meteorological observa- 

 tions for a number of seasons, it will be possible 

 to average the general conditions and establish 

 the regimen of such streams. The Government 

 Weather Bureau is co-operating with the fores- 

 try service in the observation of conditions at 

 Wagon Wheel Gap. 



Difficulties of the Work. 



A continuous automatic record of rainfall is 

 kept at various points on both watersheds. The 

 amount of snow falling upon different parts of 

 the area included in tho experiment must be re- 

 corded faithfully, and accounted for by melting 

 or evaporation. 



The air temperatures, which affect the melt- 

 ing of the snow and ice and eau?o evaporation 

 from the soil and from the surface of streams, 

 roust bo continuously and accurately recorded 

 and the humidity of the air obtained at the 

 same time. The temperature of the soil on the 

 slopes must be taken affecting as it does the 

 melting of snowbanks in the spring. In short, 

 every day of every year must be classified as re- 

 gardst he factors which might affect stream flow. 



No matter how severe the weather, the Gov- 

 ernment force of experts is out at Wagon Wheel 

 Gap, measuring streams, making notes on snow 

 falls and temperature, and contributing a new 

 chapter to the interesting story which is being 

 unrolled by science. The streams at this alti- 

 tude are icy cold even in midsummer, but in 

 winter their temperature is nearly unbearable. 

 Nevertheless the water observers have to don 

 their wading boots and stand in the middle of 

 each rushing stream, with delicately adjusted 

 recording instruments at their ears, until they 

 have measured the velocity of the water. 



Then careful measurement of the height of 

 the stream must be taken the observer still stan- 

 ding almost hip-deep in the icy stream. In severe 

 storms the difficulties attending the measure- 

 ment of snowfall are sometimes great. Often 

 it is necessary for the experts to visit the snow 

 stations on snow-shoes, and similar difficulty 

 is encountered in visiting the meteorological 

 stations where weather conditions are recorded. 

 Construction of Storm Weirs. 



One of the most interesting features of the 

 work is the operation of the weir method of con- 

 trol by which the stream regimen is secured. The 

 instrument is a stage register actuated by a float, 

 within a still well which is located in the cen- 

 tre of a basin above the weir. The instrument 

 gives a continuous graphic record of the water 

 height by the revolution of a drum which is ac- 

 tuated by a float, and by the movement of 

 a pen, actuated by clockwork, across the record 

 sheet. The weirs are so constructed that they 

 may be easily regulated tor all stages of water 



